Itse1359-1010-getting started

(Note to blind and visually impaired students: the Figures in this module are bitmap images and are probably not accessible using an audio screenreader or a braille display. However, those Figures are simply screen shots of material that you can create on your own screen, which is probably accessibleusing an audio screen reader or a braille display.)

Figures

• Figure 1 . Python 3.4.1 Shell
• Figure 2 . Python (command line) window.
• Figure 3 . Python Hello World.

Why use Python ?

With so many programming environments available, why use Python?

First of all, it's free. I like that. You won't need to invest an arm and a leg just to get started. All you will need to do is go to (External Link) and download the software.

What is Python ?

You might also want to visit The Python Tutorial , which is where I extracted the following:

More facts, less hype

So, beyond the hype, did I really choose Python because it is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language that is relatively easy tolearn? The name of this course is "ITSE 1359 - Introduction to Scripting Languages: Python" so I didn't really have a choice.

Learn OOP without the details

With Python, you can learn some aspects of object-oriented programming without the need to understand many of the complex details. Note, however, thatPython supports a very abbreviated form of OOP. You will have much more to learn about OOP when you move on to C#, C++, or Java.

A beginner-friendly language

Python is a beginner-friendly language that takes care of many of the complex details for you behind the scenes. This makes it possible for you to concentrateon the big picture of what your program is intended to accomplish without getting bogged down in detail.

Sneaking up on OOP

With Python, you can "sneak up" on object-oriented programming concepts. You don't have to deal with the object-oriented nature of the language on the firstday, or for a long time, for that matter. (With Java, for example, you can't write and understand even the simplest program without encountering a need tounderstand some object-oriented programming concepts.)

Python has an interactive mode

The interactive mode makes it easy to try new things without the edit-compile-execute cycle of other programming languages such as Java and C++. Interactive mode is a friendly environment for persons in thelearning stages of a language.

Python has a non-interactive mode

Once you know that something works properly, it is very easy to "put it in a can" so to speak, and then execute it as a script. This lets you execute it without retyping it every time.

Python combines interactive and non-interactive modes

This combination gives you the ability to use previously written script files while working in the interactive mode. Using this approach, you are able tominimize your interactive typing effort while still writing and testing large Python programs in interactive mode.